1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to removable covers for open top trucks or trailers.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Various types of truck and trailer bodies are designed to be loaded through an open top. This creates the necessity for a cover which can easily be attached to the open top to inhibit the free flow of material out of the truck or trailer body during high speed movement thereof. Attributes of such a covering should include ease of deployment and removal as well as a secure means of attaching the covering to the body itself to insure the covering will remain in place and intact.
Several coverings for open containers have been suggested. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,009 shows a tarp covering which can be deployed or removed by use of a roller extending transversely of the truck or trailer body. The roller is attached to the tarp at the middle and will travel with the tarp as it is rolled for completely enrolling the tarp and when completely rolled the entire top of the truck or trailer is clear of the tarp. U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,666 shows a roll up load cover apparatus havng a forward mounted crank operated roller rod held in an open back box frame. One end of a cover is secured to the rod and the other end is secured to the lateral midportion of a swinging U-shaped frame, whose side arms are mounted on a pivot near the middle of the body of the truck or trailer. As the cover is unrolled from the rod, tension springs lift the swinging frame forward and aft over center. U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,770, issued Dec. 17, 1974 to Grise, shows a truck cover having a rotary shaft extending transversely of the truck container adjacent one end thereof. The cover is rolled about the shaft. A bow having a pair of side members is pivotally mounted to the sides of the container intermediate the ends thereof. The bow includes a cross member parallel to the shaft. The leading end of the cover is attached to the bow so that pivotal movement of the bow is effective to unwind the cover from the shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,780, issued June 21, 1977 to Petretti, shows a cover assembly for an open body having a flexible cover of which one end is anchored to one end of the open body. The second end of the cover is attached to a rotatable rod. The rod is mounted on an arm pivoted to the body and capable of being swung back and forth along the side of the body whereby movement of the arm and thus the rod from one position to the other will cause the cover to be wound or unwound from the rod.